I'll back the Gonzaga pick except I'll take it a step further and say they go all the way, they are just so solid and deep everywhere. Karnowski/Olynyk/Dower/Elias Harris as your rotating frontline is about as good as you can get in college . Olynyk was the big unknown, but watching him, I really don't understand how that guy was so insignificant his first two years(I guess he was playing behind Robert Sacre et al...but still). He moves so well for somebody that's 7 feet and he's skilled and can sky. Edi, Bell, and Stockton are all guys that can shut down people on the perimeter. Pangos is a baller.

Of course, with all that said, BYU is still going to beat them down in Provo but that will be one of the few loses for them this year on their way to the championship.

Good thread, Whisky. Oh, and I don't mind the SEC thing .. I hate the SEC too. I'm not a conference guy, just a UK badass. So you're a Notre Dame fan??? So I guess you'll REALLY be loathing UK this coming Thursday .. emiright?

It's good to see you in the thread. I'm looking forward to Notre Dame's upset on Thursday.

15/1 on Gonzaga. 9/1 for Kentucky. Vegas certainly isn't getting my money with those odds. I would need 50/1 Gonzaga in Vegas to be in with those hustlers.

If you really want to bet though, I'd be in. It couldn't be Gonzaga or bust though. It would have to be like I take Gonzaga versus field and you only have to pay out if Gonzaga wins, while simultaneously you take Kentucky versus field and I only have to pay out if Kentucky wins, and no money would be on the line if they both lost.

15/1 on Gonzaga. 9/1 for Kentucky. Vegas certainly isn't getting my money with those odds. I would need 50/1 Gonzaga in Vegas to be in with those hustlers.

If you really want to bet though, I'd be in. It couldn't be Gonzaga or bust though. It would have to be like I take Gonzaga versus field and you only have to pay out if Gonzaga wins, while simultaneously you take Kentucky versus field and I only have to pay out if Kentucky wins, and no money would be on the line if they both lost.

Analysis
The first thing that jumps out at me about Notre Dame is their defense. They have not been scoring points in bunches but what they have been doing is holding opponents to 37.3% shooting and 59.7 ppg. Those are some good numbers. The second thing that jumps out at me is their experience. They don't have a bunch of McD's All Americans but they return all 5 starters from last season, with the lone exception of Abromaitis, who went down early last season with a knee injury. It should also be noted that they've added another big man in transfer Garrick Sherman (from Mich St), who offers them some additional interior scoring and muscle, as well as a couple talented freshmen forwards.

Notre Dame gets their points in a variety of ways. One might say they're not very adept at any one thing but they're pretty good at several things. They have some interior scoring with Cooley and Sherman. They have a couple guys who can shoot the ball (mostly Atkins, but Martin and Grant can and will shoot it as well). They have some slashers also (Grant and Bidscheid). You would think that they'd be hitting on all cylinders with 5 returning starters, but it seems the influx of players (Sherman and Bidshcheid specifically) has Bray still searching for which combination is best.

As with many other teams this early in the season, it's hard to tell very much about how good Notre Dame will be. They weren't great last year, though they looked better toward the end. They haven't played any top tier teams so far, but they still managed to lose to St Joseph's (not a great team) on a neutral court. Their returning core is not rich in athleticism, but they're smart and experienced. Still, I don't think Brey even knows what they have. UK is going into the home court of the Irish for the game Thursday night and it will be a sell-out and a black-out for the home fans. They will be excited to have UK there and they'll be thirsty for a win. For this reason, I expect UK will get Notre Dame's best shot, without question.

As for how Notre Dame will attack UK, I fully expect them to take the ball inside to Cooley to see if he can be effective early. He will have a strength edge on UK and has the potential to cause some foul trouble for our freshmen, though he might have trouble with UK's length inside. Possibly more concerning is Cooley's rebounding ability. He's averaging 11+ rebounds per game and gets points on offensive rebounds quite often. If our young Cats don't keep him off the offensive glass, it could be a long night. His new partner in crime down there, Sherman, is another guy who is big and strong in the post. He doesn't look very imposing but he has a 22pt game this season and can score down there. So, UK will have their hands full down low. If Wiltjer isn't defending and rebounding well (and scoring on the other end) I think we'll see quite a bit of the twin towers from Cal in this game. I expect quite a bit of patience from Notre Dame on offense and expect them to attempt to shorten the game with long possessions and offensive efficiency. ("the burn" offense is what they called it 2 years ago) Also, if last night is any indication, ND will be shooting threes early and often. They hit 12-22 from 3 last night in a blow-out of a crappy team (Chicago St- now 1-6 on the season), but their numbers from other games haven't been close to that.

Athletically, Notre Dame can't match UK. They have no one who can guard Goodwin in the open floor. As a matter of fact, UK's overall quickness could be a significant factor in this game. The Irish haven't seen anything close to UK's quickness end to end (and 1-5) this season and they may struggle with that. If UK can force some turnovers and get out in transition, it will be huge. I also expect the Irish to have trouble guarding Poythress in this game. When he's playing the 3, they'll be forced to guard him with a couple 6-5 guards who he can post up. When he's playing the 4, his quickness and strength could give their big guys trouble. I also think Noel presents a significant problem for their bigs on the defensive end- not when he posts, but in the open floor and when he's facing the basket. I don't think they can keep up with him on the break. I'm also very interested to see if Harrow gets some time tonight and, if so, how effective he will be. UK should be able to give Notre Dame trouble with their shot blocking ability because many of their players do not get great elevation when shooting.

Overall, I expect this to be a tough game for our young Cats. I don't think there is any question UK is the better team and should win the game, but the Irish will be a very tough out on their home floor. This game will be a significant test of UK's rebounding and discipline on defense. The Cats must limit Notre Dame's possessions- 2nd chance points could be killer. This is also the first true road game for UK, though the Maryland game will likely help them in that regard, so that will add to the difficulty. The environment will be tough- not Indiana-spit-cuss-fear-for-your-life tough- but still tough, nonetheless.

Prediction: UK's quickness and athleticism wins out. On a neutral court, I'd pick UK by 14 but in South Bend UK wins this game by single digits and holds off a late run by the Irish. UK 72 ND 64

Analysis
The first thing that jumps out at me about Notre Dame is their defense. They have not been scoring points in bunches but what they have been doing is holding opponents to 37.3% shooting and 59.7 ppg. Those are some good numbers. The second thing that jumps out at me is their experience. They don't have a bunch of McD's All Americans but they return all 5 starters from last season, with the lone exception of Abromaitis, who went down early last season with a knee injury. It should also be noted that they've added another big man in transfer Garrick Sherman (from Mich St), who offers them some additional interior scoring and muscle, as well as a couple talented freshmen forwards.

Notre Dame gets their points in a variety of ways. One might say they're not very adept at any one thing but they're pretty good at several things. They have some interior scoring with Cooley and Sherman. They have a couple guys who can shoot the ball (mostly Atkins, but Martin and Grant can and will shoot it as well). They have some slashers also (Grant and Bidscheid). You would think that they'd be hitting on all cylinders with 5 returning starters, but it seems the influx of players (Sherman and Bidshcheid specifically) has Bray still searching for which combination is best.

As with many other teams this early in the season, it's hard to tell very much about how good Notre Dame will be. They weren't great last year, though they looked better toward the end. They haven't played any top tier teams so far, but they still managed to lose to St Joseph's (not a great team) on a neutral court. Their returning core is not rich in athleticism, but they're smart and experienced. Still, I don't think Brey even knows what they have. UK is going into the home court of the Irish for the game Thursday night and it will be a sell-out and a black-out for the home fans. They will be excited to have UK there and they'll be thirsty for a win. For this reason, I expect UK will get Notre Dame's best shot, without question.

As for how Notre Dame will attack UK, I fully expect them to take the ball inside to Cooley to see if he can be effective early. He will have a strength edge on UK and has the potential to cause some foul trouble for our freshmen, though he might have trouble with UK's length inside. Possibly more concerning is Cooley's rebounding ability. He's averaging 11+ rebounds per game and gets points on offensive rebounds quite often. If our young Cats don't keep him off the offensive glass, it could be a long night. His new partner in crime down there, Sherman, is another guy who is big and strong in the post. He doesn't look very imposing but he has a 22pt game this season and can score down there. So, UK will have their hands full down low. If Wiltjer isn't defending and rebounding well (and scoring on the other end) I think we'll see quite a bit of the twin towers from Cal in this game. I expect quite a bit of patience from Notre Dame on offense and expect them to attempt to shorten the game with long possessions and offensive efficiency. ("the burn" offense is what they called it 2 years ago) Also, if last night is any indication, ND will be shooting threes early and often. They hit 12-22 from 3 last night in a blow-out of a crappy team (Chicago St- now 1-6 on the season), but their numbers from other games haven't been close to that.

Athletically, Notre Dame can't match UK. They have no one who can guard Goodwin in the open floor. As a matter of fact, UK's overall quickness could be a significant factor in this game. The Irish haven't seen anything close to UK's quickness end to end (and 1-5) this season and they may struggle with that. If UK can force some turnovers and get out in transition, it will be huge. I also expect the Irish to have trouble guarding Poythress in this game. When he's playing the 3, they'll be forced to guard him with a couple 6-5 guards who he can post up. When he's playing the 4, his quickness and strength could give their big guys trouble. I also think Noel presents a significant problem for their bigs on the defensive end- not when he posts, but in the open floor and when he's facing the basket. I don't think they can keep up with him on the break. I'm also very interested to see if Harrow gets some time tonight and, if so, how effective he will be. UK should be able to give Notre Dame trouble with their shot blocking ability because many of their players do not get great elevation when shooting.

Overall, I expect this to be a tough game for our young Cats. I don't think there is any question UK is the better team and should win the game, but the Irish will be a very tough out on their home floor. This game will be a significant test of UK's rebounding and discipline on defense. The Cats must limit Notre Dame's possessions- 2nd chance points could be killer. This is also the first true road game for UK, though the Maryland game will likely help them in that regard, so that will add to the difficulty. The environment will be tough- not Indiana-spit-cuss-fear-for-your-life tough- but still tough, nonetheless.

Prediction: UK's quickness and athleticism wins out. On a neutral court, I'd pick UK by 14 but in South Bend UK wins this game by single digits and holds off a late run by the Irish. UK 72 ND 64